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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27627061">Seouless Flower</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelanatedFics3812/pseuds/MelanatedFics3812'>MelanatedFics3812</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A SouliVerse Novel [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>K-pop</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Comedy, Drama &amp; Romance, Erotica, Heartbreak, Love, Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:08:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27627061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelanatedFics3812/pseuds/MelanatedFics3812</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenya Jaye works hard to achieve her goals despite the hardships she's been through. After getting her dream job as a Director &amp; Videographer at one of Korea's biggest entertainment companies, she feels like things are finally going in a positive direction. Taking things one day at a time, her new life brings her new opportunities, new friends &amp; new adventures. Soon, love comes knocking on her door as well in a way she would have never expected, but what happens when her past starts to bleed into her new happiness?</p><p>Armed with new friends &amp; the determination to live life how she truly wants to, Kenya faces her demons.</p><p>Will she overcome them or will they drag her back to where she started?</p><p> <br/>Book 2 in The SouliVerse Novels written by MingKai</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A SouliVerse Novel [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019958</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1 & 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The anxiety is driving me crazy...<br/>
I’ve never been on a plane this long before &amp; I’m so restless right now.  I’ve already slept for 8 hours, rather comfortably too, thanks to my short stature &amp; I still have at least 4 more to go before I land in Incheon. Though my seat is quite comfortable &amp; the food I was served was way better than I ever thought possible on a plane…. I’m over this flight. I’ve walked around the entire first-class cabin at least 5 times to stretch my legs but the claustrophobia is setting in strong. I run my fingers through my shoulder-length locs &amp; try to focus. I need to think about something else… *lifts window..puts it back down* I’m sick of looking at clouds too! Oh my god, I’m gonna lose it. I can feel my breathing starting to spike. If I didn’t have locs, I just know there would be strands of my silver hair all over this seat. My palms are sweaty &amp; I can feel the soft vibrations starting to roll off of me... Am I about to have a panic attack?<br/>
How embarrassing! I’m gonna scream if I have a panic attack more than 30,000 feet in the air! Will someone just kill me, please!? I can’t deal with this! WHO MADE ME THI-</p><p>“Excuse me, are you okay?”<br/>
My inner dialogue was cut off by a voice coming from beside me. I looked to see a man standing over my shoulder. I didn’t meet his eyes because I was embarrassed that someone even noticed my anxiety spiking that way. “ I’m okay, just ready to land. This is a REALLY long flight, ya know?” I say to him while trying to will myself into calmness. “Yeah, I definitely get that.” He replies. I must have done a good job faking calm because after a few moments I hear him walk away. “Woooo-saah..” I try to tell myself as I feel my anxiety slowly climbing back up. I pinch the bridge of my nose, close my eyes &amp; start counting. I barely make it to 10 when I’m startled by something on my head. I flinch but then I feel a hand on my shoulder. I freeze in my spot &amp; peak over my shoulder &amp; see it’s the same man from before. “Shhh, I’m sorry for scaring you.” He removes his hand from my shoulder &amp; slides a large pair of headphones over my ears. I scrunch up a little &amp; put both hands on the sides &amp; hold them over my ears. I start to look up at him but then he holds something else out for me. I look down &amp; see that he’s handing me an eye cover… I hesitate but he takes the initiative to put it on my lap. I look over again, still not meeting his eyes when he pulls out his phone &amp; pushes a few buttons. A soft melody starts playing in the headphones. It sounds really nice... I look up to thank him but I realize he’s no longer next to me. I look around but I don’t see him.<br/>
“Hmmm, I don’t know where these headphones have been or the damn eye cover..” I say under my breath. Though the logical part of my head is lowkey grossed out, I’m grateful for what he was trying to do for me. So I suck it up &amp; put the cover over my eyes &amp; lay back in my seat.  I start to listen to the melody that’s playing through the headphones &amp; soon start to relax. I tapped the side of the headphone to look for the volume button but as I rubbed the side, I could tell that the movement of my finger controlled the volume... “Hmm, nifty,” I said to myself. With the song now playing loudly in my ears, I let myself get lost in the melody. It was such a pure &amp; bright sound. It made me feel comfortable &amp; the best part was, when the song went off &amp; another one started, it gave me a similar feeling even though it was a different song. I made a mental note to thank him properly when we landed. I really appreciate his help &amp; his music taste. I wonder who this artist is. These instrumentals were moving my heart. In a good way. </p><p>Next thing I knew, I felt another tap on my shoulder. Startled because I think I fell asleep again, I snatched the eye cover off to see a flight attendant in front of me. There wasn’t any music playing anymore but I pulled the headphones down to hear what she had to say. “Miss, please exit the plane. We’ve already landed.”  I’m sure my face is stunned. “LANDED!?” I ask &amp; then I look around the cabin to see that most of the people were already off the plane &amp; I was nearly last. I jump from my seat &amp; quickly grab my things &amp; run (my definition of running) down the terminal. </p><p>When I get to baggage claim I see most of the people from my flight have already grabbed their belongings &amp; are scattering. I panic &amp; grab my suitcases &amp; look around. The man who gave me the headphones is nowhere in sight. As I walk through the airport toward my pickup spot I keep looking for him when I realize I don’t know what his face looks like &amp; I never got his name…<br/>
-sighs-..”Welp, I tried!” I say to myself. At least I got a new pair of headphones out of this, though I’m sad I don’t know the songs I got to hear. </p><p>My Korean is so bad. It took me way too long to find my way to the correct exit where I was to be picked up. I almost didn’t see him, but I noticed the small man near the door holding the paper with my name on it. Thank God it was in English!  I walked up to the man &amp; greeted him in my ridiculous Konglish. He kind of chuckles at me &amp; uses gestures to ask me to follow him. He takes my suitcases &amp; starts for the exit. I’m right behind him because this tiny Korean man might be, possibly, but probably not, could be a thief &amp; I refuse to get robbed on my first day in Korea. </p><p>I was just starting to question if he knew where he was going in this huge parking lot when he finally stopped at a blue car with a pretty shimmer to it. He popped the trunk &amp; put my suitcases inside. He then walked to the back door on the right side of the car &amp; gestured for me to get in. I nodded &amp; got in the car. He smiled &amp; closed the door behind me. As I got comfy in my seat, I looked up to see the little Korean man looking at me in the rearview mirror. He smiles hesitantly at me. “Relax..” He says to me with a look that tells me that he wants to say more but he doesn’t quite know how to. I nod my head at him &amp; sit back in my seat. He smiles back at me &amp; puts the car in drive then pulls out to the streets. To keep things from getting more awkward, I pull out the headphones that were given to me by that kind stranger on the plane. I put them on &amp; push the buttons on the side. The headphones made a “ding'' sound &amp; then started spewing out a slew of sentences which I can only assume are instructions...in korean. Feeling every bit of too lazy to figure that nonsense out, I just put them down &amp; stared out the window. I was so tired of traveling. I just wanted to be stationary somewhere &amp; stuffing my face. Mama would be so upset if she knew I’d gone this long without eating. I’ll look for food when we get to the company I guess. I look down at my watch to see the time. It’s nearly 11 am… Maybe someone will take me for lunch when I get there. I cross my fingers.</p><p>About 45 minutes later we pulled into a huge parking lot &amp; I could barely contain my own excitement. I shouldn’t have thought about me not eating because right after that I felt like I was basically starving &amp; eager to get to some food. The little driver man parked the car &amp; got out to open my door for me. “감사합니다,” I said to him..(hopefully correctly) I thought to myself. He smiled &amp; gave me a small bow then motioned for me to follow him to the front door.</p><p>As we walk up to the huge building, I look at the sign that says “Big Hit Entertainment”. I suddenly feel overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment. All those years of hard work finally paid off. I’ve overcome all of my struggles &amp; have left all the negative aspects of my life in the US. This was the fresh start I so desperately wanted...Needed. I couldn’t be happier &amp; I know Mama would be proud of me. </p><p>I felt a tear slide down my face &amp; wiped it away quickly. “Pull yourself together Kenya Jaye!” I said under my breath as I entered the building. Upon walking into the entrance there was a line of people on both sides of the door. I smiled awkwardly &amp; bowed to them. They bowed to me while simultaneously shouting what I translated to being “Welcome to Korea” in my head. Then a girl who looked to be about the same age as me, stepped out from the side &amp; bowed to me again. She was pretty &amp; had the friendliest smile. “ Hello Ms. Jaye, My name is Na Byeol. Big Hit Labels is very excited to have you join our team. We hope you enjoyed your flight.” I stared at her a little too long before composing myself. “Thank you, Ms. Na, my flight was pretty good. Your English is amazing by the way, I was surprised.” She gave me her inviting smile again. “Thank you, Ms. Jaye. Please follow me, we’ve prepared an introductory lunch for you, where you will meet Mr. Bang Si-Hyuk, one of our CEO’s here at Big Hit Labels.” My mouth watered at the mention of lunch &amp; I feel like I lost control of my facial expression for a moment. I nodded my head &amp; she smiled, seeming to have read my mind. "This way please."<br/>
Walking through this huge building, I appreciated that no one was trying to tell me what room was which or trying to show me which route goes where. I was in no position to be trying to commit any real info to memory. After what seemed like 3 lefts, 2 straights, a staircase &amp; maybe a right, we entered a large conference room. I followed Ms. Na to the end where she pointed me to a seat with a large gift box in it. The box was a pretty blue satin with a giant silver ribbon on it. Honestly, it was too pretty to open. Ms. Na removed the box from the seat &amp; motioned for me to sit. As I sat in the chair &amp; pulled myself in, she set the box on the table directly in front of me. “For you, Ms. Jaye,” she said to me.<br/>
I’m sure she could see the surprise on my face, she gave me a big smile &amp; motioned for me to open it. I untied the ribbon &amp; pulled the lid off the box. Inside was a large glass nameplate with my name printed in English and Korean &amp; my job title. It was so beautiful I couldn’t bear to take my eyes off of it. “This is a gift from our company to put in your office. We hope you will feel welcomed here. We understand that you have come a long way from home so we wish you would view us as a family &amp; a second home as well.” Ms. Na said to me. I looked up at her &amp; she smiled again. That was it, my tears started flowing &amp; I couldn't stop them. She giggled a little &amp; handed me a handkerchief. I dabbed my face, trying not to ruin my makeup any more than I already had. All of a sudden the door opened &amp; 5 people walked in. I smiled at Ms. Na, grateful for the handkerchief so my face wasn’t gross. I stood up as they neared the table where I was seated. I only recognized two of them, one being Han Jisoo, the woman who handled my interview &amp; hiring process, while the other was Bang Si Hyuk, one of the CEO’s of Big Hit Entertainment. Mr. Bang reached out to shake my hand &amp; I took it immediately. “Please have a seat, you’ve traveled a long way to get here.” I obediently sat down &amp; so did the others, except Ms. Na. I took a deep breath &amp; smiled at them hoping my nervousness wasn’t so obvious. “I guess we can get started now then.” Mr. Bang stated. “Thank you for coming here Ms. Jaye, I’ve heard much about you. As you know this is Han JiSoo &amp; behind her is her team. They represent a small portion of our Human Resources department, they will be essential in helping you get adjusted here at Big Hit. Next to you is Ms. Na Byeol, as I’m sure you’ve been introduced to already. She will from this point on be your personal assistant while you are here in Korea. She will be responsible for any of your needs inside and outside of the company. So if you need or want anything, she will be your go-to.” I looked up at Ms. Na &amp; once again she gave me her brilliant smile &amp; a little wave. -sigh- “I love her already.” I thought to myself.<br/>
“We will keep this meeting brief as we know you must be exhausted from the trip so please have lunch here &amp; Ms. Na will be here to answer any of your questions. Please feel free to contact us at any time.” Mr. Bang reassured me &amp; Ms. Han just sat there nodding her head enthusiastically. We had spoken before I boarded my flight so I was well aware of her excitement to have me join the team. She’s a great person. “Thank you for such a warm welcome, it was surely more than I expected &amp; I am truly grateful for the opportunity. Please take good care of me.” I said to both Mr. Bang &amp; Ms. Han. They nodded collectively. “Well, we will get going now, enjoy the rest of your day &amp; you can start Monday morning.” Mr. Bang said as he got up from his seat. “Thank you so much,” I replied &amp; also got up from my seat. He shook my hand again &amp; turned to leave. Ms. Han then reached for my hand again &amp; smiled. “I’m so happy you are here. I have to go now but let’s plan to do lunch soon. I’ll have someone get in touch with Ms. Na to arrange it.” Ms. Han said with so much enthusiasm I thought her cheeks would burn from smiling so hard. I thanked her again &amp; she headed out the door with her team. I started to gather my things but then more people came into the room but they had several rolling carts with them. As they came closer to me the strong aroma of baked chicken hit me square in the face &amp; I suddenly remembered how hungry I was. My mouth watered as they filled the table with so many dishes. I’ve never been so welcomed in my life as far as I was concerned. After they finished piling the table, a man handed me a small aluminum box, bowed &amp; exited the room. I was confused but I opened the box. There was a pair of chopsticks &amp; a spoon. “Party,” I said out loud. As I started to dig in I realized Ms. Na was still standing next to me. I looked at her in confusion. “Are you not allowed to sit with me?” I ask her. She laughs. “I am if you allow it,” she replied. “OMG, why didn’t you say so!? You’ve been standing for such a long time! PLEASE sit down!” I almost yell at her. She laughs again &amp; takes the seat next to me. “Have you eaten yet?” I ask her. She hesitates, then says “You should enjoy your meal Ms. Jaye.” I look her in the eyes… She’s tricky I see. “Give me your hand,” I say to her in my stern voice. She frowns. “Please, give me your hand,” I say again. She then puts her hand in mine. I smile &amp; put the chopsticks in her hand, not like I know how to use them. “Eat with me!” I say to her. “There’s no way I can finish all of this in one go anyway so please eat with me. I don’t even know what half of this is so while we eat, you can tell me, okay?” I say to her. She smiled &amp; nodded her head. </p><p>Together we eat about half of the food &amp; I get a crash course on Korean cuisine. “That was so good! Ms. Na, did you enjoy it?” I ask her. She smiles &amp; nods. “You don’t have to call me Ms. Na if you don’t want to, we’re going to be spending a lot of time together so you should be comfortable with me.” She explained.</p><p>I nodded my head in agreement. “Hmmmm… How about Star? Isn’t that what Byeol means?” I ask her. She smiles brightly again &amp; nods her head! “Good because I would have been lost if you didn’t like that one,” I say &amp; she laughs at me. So..what’s next on my to-do list?” I ask her. She then gets up from her chair &amp; I examine her face. She’s clearly excited &amp; I don’t know if I should be worried or not. “Now, I take you to your new home.” She smiles brightly. Not gonna lie, I had definitely forgotten about that part up until she mentioned it. I was too busy being hungry out here with my stomach gnawing at my rib cage meats &amp; whatnot. I get up from my seat &amp; look to her “Lead the way.” I say &amp; she almost skips out the door. I make a mental note about how cute she is &amp; follow behind. After going back through what I feel may actually be a labyrinth, we make it back to the lobby. I started toward the front door but Star called out to me. “This way, Ms. Jaye,” she said &amp; we walked toward the elevators. “Oops” I said to myself &amp; double-backed, however the way I decided to do so, made me trip over, I don’t know probably air, &amp; knock right into some guy who was walking toward the exit. “Oh my god! I am SO SORRY!” I say to him. I hit the ground &amp; start picking up all the papers I knocked out of his hands &amp; before I can look up, Star is right next to me helping me pick up papers too, also apologizing in Korean. The guy picks up the remaining papers that Star &amp; I don’t get up ourselves. I am so embarrassed that after we stand, I avoid eye contact because I don’t want to be remembered as the clumsy girl who tripped over nothing &amp; almost killed this man! Star speaks a few more lines to him in Korean that I don’t bother trying to understand &amp; he starts to walk away, I yell that I’m sorry once again &amp; when he turns to look at me I bow before we make eye contact. Star bows to &amp; then I hear his feet turn away again. I then grab Star's hand &amp; bolt for the elevator. She laughs at me the whole time.<br/>
Once we stepped inside the elevator, she hit a button I didn’t bother trying to read. However, I assumed it was to a parking lot after feeling the elevator go down. “Hey, can you call me Kenya, please? Ms. Jaye makes me feel weird &amp; like you said we’re gonna be spending a lot of time together so we might as well get comfy right?” She smiles at me all bright as she does &amp; it makes me smile too. “I can do that. Hi Kenya, I’m Star, Nice to meet you.” She says while reaching out her hand. I smile &amp; take it into my own &amp; say “Nice to meet you too.”</p><p>We exit the elevator &amp; walk toward the same pretty blue car from earlier. She unlocks the door &amp; then opens the back for me to get in. I’m wondering how long it’s gonna take for me to get used to being driven around. Star gets into the driver’s seat &amp; pulls off. Next stop, My new house.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Home Sweet Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After not even 10 minutes of driving, Star pulled into a huge underground lot &amp; parked the car. I got out before she could open the door for me &amp; she frowned.  I smiled at her. “When it’s just us, you don’t have to open the door for me okay? I’m a big girl, I can do it myself!” I promised her while showing her my biceps. She laughed at me but I can’t tell if it’s because I’m funny or because I have no biceps… I decided that it’s better not to inquire further. I moved toward the trunk &amp; popped it. I pulled out one of my suitcases &amp; bookbag while Star grabbed the other suitcase &amp; my carry-on case. As we started walking toward the elevator I could see the excitement start to grow on her face. “Ummm, should I be nervous?” I asked her. She looked confused by my question. “Nervous? Nervous why? I think you will like it a lot!” Star explained to me. We boarded the elevator &amp; she pushed the button for the 30th floor &amp; I almost choked on my own breath! “30!” I yelp at Star but she just looks at me like I’m crazy. I stare back at her but she just shrugs &amp; patiently waits. I have no choice but to do the same even though my brain is doing cartwheels. After a few more seconds the elevator chimes and I follow Star down the hall. We stop at the last door &amp; she pauses. The biggest smile I’ve seen thus far, plastered across her face. She lifted the keypad door &amp; punched in the numbers “0723”. Before I can question her, she opens the door. “빨리 빨리!” She says &amp; nearly shoves me inside. I step into the room &amp; hit the little switch on the wall. The overhead light comes on &amp; I look around. “ I am...confusion,” I say out loud. This room is like a large coat closet. I look over at Star &amp; notice she’s taking her shoes off. “Oh yeah!” I think to myself &amp; do the same. She pulls open the sliding door in front of me then takes the suitcase I have. “Please, go inside &amp; see.” She says. I nod my head, walk through the hallway &amp; into a huge room. I hit the switch &amp; the room is lit by a string of lights that line the walls. Against the sidewall is a large black entertainment center, big enough to take up the whole wall, with a huge TV in the center. The floors are a bright white marble that is so shiny, I could see my reflection. In the center of the room is a grey sectional with beautiful silver, white &amp; royal blue pillows on it. The black coffee table in front of the sectional matched the entertainment center perfectly while the royal blue area rug pulled everything together perfectly. I stood there in shock at how beautiful this room was. I didn’t even notice Star had come into the room behind me. She smiled at me so brightly as she walked past me to the opposite wall of me. She reached up and pushed a button I hadn’t noticed there. Half a second later, the curtains slowly started to open automatically. When they were open completely, I found myself wondering what I could have done to deserve this. The view from the window was stunning. I felt like I could see all of Seoul &amp; then some. Easily one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen in my life. Mama would have loved it. </p><p>“This will be your home from now on. There are 2 bedrooms &amp; 2 full bathrooms. The kitchen is around that corner to your left while the bedrooms &amp; guest bathroom is to your right. It’s about 10 or so minutes from the company &amp; it’s a really nice area. Since you have a few days before you officially start work, you have time to explore a little. You should have all the necessities here already but anything else you may need, just give me a call, day or night.” Star explained to me before taking my hands &amp; placing 2 new phones in them. I look at her again, because I still have no words. She keeps on giving me that award-winning smile &amp; continues her instructions. “The black phone is for work while the silver one is for personal use. I wrote the phone numbers down for you. It’s on the kitchen counter. My phone number is in both.” I just nod &amp; keep listening to her. “The car downstairs was also provided by the company &amp; you can use it anytime. You also have a company credit card with no limit but understand that your wages will be used to pay the bill monthly. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask anytime. These gifts are to show our company’s sincerity. We hope to work with you for a long time so please take good care of our artist.” Star finished off with a smile. I just stood there in shock. I could hardly believe that all of these things were prepared for me in advance.  I was visibly overwhelmed so I moved to sit on the couch. </p><p>I guess Star could tell how overwhelmed I was so she sat down next to me. “Are you okay?” she asked me, with a worried expression. I just looked at her &amp; smiled as my tears threatened to fall again. She pouted at me which made me laugh. Then I had an idea. “Hey Star, do you have plans for the weekend? It’s Friday already so I know this is short notice but would you mind spending the weekend here with me? It’s totally optional, not work-related &amp; completely up to you.” I blurted out to her, probably too fast. She looked completely taken aback.  “I don’t have any plans!” She says to me, way more excited than I ever would have imagined. “I would love to, &amp; I can even show you Seoul tomorrow!” She said &amp; I could see the little hamster running in her head full of plans for the weekend &amp; I was grateful. “I do need to go home to get things for me to stay here.” She said to me. I nodded my head. “Okay, take the car. It’ll be faster.” I reply. I honestly just want her to hurry back. She jumps up &amp; says okay, then hurries for the door. I guess she can tell I don’t want to be alone, even if I don’t say it out loud. She’s already my favorite person here in Korea.  </p><p>As soon as Star is out the door I try to find things to do to keep myself busy in the meantime. I get up &amp; walk the rest of my new home. I walk down the long way &amp; open all the doors on the way. The first room is a huge bedroom with what I think is a Queen size bed in the center. The wooden frame is white with cute drawers on the sides. The comforter is lavender with big, fluffy white &amp; grey pillows at the head of the bed. The walls were also lavender with the same string of lights from the living room around them too. The windows had matching lavender &amp; white curtains &amp; flower pots in the sill. It was hard for me to believe that this was a room in my own house, it looked like a hotel room or what I imagine a celebrity’s bedroom to look like. I moved further down the hall to the next door &amp; found the guest bathroom. It had the same color scheme as the bedroom but with pops of Silver. The counter was white marble with a silver toothbrush holder &amp; soap dispenser. The cute little succulents on the counter made me smile. Finally getting to the last door after looking in the linen closet loaded with various sheets, comforter sets, towels &amp; what I assume are cleaning products. I open the door &amp; take in the master bedroom. I think my jaw must have hit the floor. This room was twice the size of the other bedroom &amp; the entire far wall was a window, looking over what I believe to be the entirety of Seoul. The massive bed had a beautiful royal blue canopy over the center with netting covering the whole bed. The comforter was white with silver stones in the stitching. The bigger pillows were the same royal blue as the canopy while the smaller decorative pillows were white &amp; silver, some with feathers &amp; some with ruffles. This room looks like someone’s royal bedroom. There was a small love seat in front of the window with a small coffee table in front of it. The little succulents on the table had bloomed pretty white flowers. I walked around the beautifully decorated room &amp; found another door.  “This must be the closet,” I said out loud. I opened the door &amp; hit the switch on the inside. This room was not a closet...in my opinion. It was the same size as my bedroom back home in New York, however, that wasn’t the craziest part. It was completely loaded. Everything from pajamas &amp; casual clothes to business wear &amp; formal dresses. There was a wall lined with shelving from the base, up to nearly the ceiling with sneakers, flat shoes, loafers &amp; red bottom high heels of every shape &amp; color. Now, completely shook, I started running &amp; checking the sizes of things &amp; nearly fainted when I realized everything was the right size… MY size. Toward the back of the closet was another door, I opened it &amp; found the master bathroom. It looked nearly the same as the other one only this was a bit bigger. I immediately wanted to take a hot bath in the large clawfoot tub. The color scheme was the same as the bedroom &amp; it had a lot of the same products as the other bathroom.<br/>
It was absolutely immaculate. I exited the bathroom &amp; the closet to sit on the small loveseat. I can’t for the life of me, understand why the company would do so much for me. Also even if they felt I was worth this much, I’m still only one person, why would I need this much room. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel quite a bit unworthy &amp; intimidated by this. Their expectations of me must be so high for them to show their “sincerity” this way. I sighed to myself &amp; looked out at the view of my new bedroom window. I guess that means I need to work that much harder. I need to show them that I was the right choice &amp; I do deserve this. I need to prove it to everyone… &amp; myself for that matter. I looked at my reflection &amp; balled up my fist. “You got this boo!” I cheered myself. Then I did what any sane person would do in this situation. I ran through the house screaming at the top of my lungs! “YAAAAAAAASSSSSSSS!” I yelled as I went in &amp; out of every room. When I was tired I sat on the couch. I’m still in awe. This has to be the best day of my life… and I got free headphones. Tired again from running I decided that I would unpack my things &amp; shower while I waited for Star to return. I took my suitcases to the closet &amp; just left them there because I’m lazy. &amp; Just went in the bathroom to shower. </p><p>After examining every product in the bathroom &amp; washing my body I exited the bathroom &amp; put on the first set of pajamas I found. They were cute &amp; comfy so I was happy. I walked from the bedroom to find Star sitting on the couch, also in her pajamas &amp; freshly showered. There was take out &amp; drinks on the table along with a few lit candles. She looked up &amp; smiled at me. I smiled back &amp; went to join her. “When did you get back?” I ask her. “I’ve been back maybe about 45 minutes now.” She said to me. I must have been in the bathroom a lot longer than I thought I had been. “I’m sorry for making you wait,” I said to her but as I’m speaking, she waves both hands &amp; shakes her head. “It’s fine.” She smiles. “I was gone quite a while too.” I appreciate this girl more &amp; more as time goes by &amp; it’s only been about 7 hours since I met her. </p><p>That night Star &amp; I ate Korean fried chicken while drinking beer as we talked about cultural differences, different food &amp; all the things we have in common. We eventually lost track of time &amp; before we knew it, both of us had passed out on the couch. It was a great way to spend my first night in South Korea. With my first, new friend. </p><p>I woke up groggy &amp; definitely feeling the effects of jet lag. I slept like crap throughout the night because my internal clock felt like I was supposed to be awake even though I was definitely exhausted. Unfortunately, I woke up quite a few times. It seemed like it was still quite early, the sunlight wasn’t very bright yet. I looked for my phone but couldn’t remember where I left it yesterday... Or the other 2 now that I think about it. I looked over at a sleeping Star on the other side of the couch and smiled. She was naturally a really cute person but when she was sleeping, she looked like a baby. I truly wish I’d met someone like her sooner, it would have made things a lot easier. I can already sense how great of a person she is.  Last night we had so much fun with just the two of us. You’d have thought we’d been friends for several years rather than our meeting just yesterday yet, here we are. I was apprehensive at first but she even talked me into trying the soju &amp; beer combo. It was pretty good &amp; we had fun.<br/>
Laughing at the memories from the night before, I then noticed Star’s arm hanging off the couch. I then moved toward her, thinking I would move it so that it wouldn’t be sore later on. I barely had a grip on her wrist when her eyes snapped open and in one swift motion, she snatched her wrist from my hand &amp; somehow managed to grab my wrist with a killer grip.<br/>
Shocked &amp; startled by her quick reflexes, I almost jumped out of my own skin. It only took her a second to process the situation &amp; she immediately let go of me. “I am so sorry!” She practically yells with a look of terror on her face. I looked at her expression &amp; didn’t even try to contain the laugh that escaped my lips. “It’s okay, I didn’t mean to scare you like that,” I say back to her. She pouts at me &amp; offers to go get me some ice but I shake my head. After promising her that I was fine, even though it was a little sore, I asked her what we were having for breakfast. Star, now effectively distracted, was stumped by my question. I smile at her cuteness. “How about we get dressed &amp; you take me out for the day. We can eat first then just stay out &amp; explore all day. You can decide where we go &amp; be my official tour guide. This sounds like a good idea to you?” I had barely finished asking &amp; she was already grinning ear to ear &amp; nodding her head excitedly.  “Big bet, let’s go!” I said to her.</p><p>The day went by in a flash. We had so much fun together that I honestly lost track of time. After eating breakfast at a cafe near my house, Star took me around the city. There was so much to see &amp; even more to learn. I had a blast &amp; if it wasn’t for my stomach interrupting I probably wouldn’t have realized it was as late as it was. Just slightly after 6 pm, Star &amp; I found ourselves walking into a Korean BBQ restaurant near the river. She had assured me that I would love it so I was excited to try it. As we sat down at our table I looked around. It was fairly crowded in the place so I felt good about my decision. “Agh, I have regerts!” I say to Star. She in turn gives me the most confused expression. I giggle at her and explain “I mean regrets. I have regrets. We have so much to carry into the house but after we eat I’ll be so full I won’t want to!” She laughs at me &amp; nods her head. “We will definitely make it.” Star reassured me. We laughed together when suddenly a beautiful woman with flawless brown skin &amp; gorgeous curly hair sauntered over to our table and slid into the seat next to Star. I’m completely shocked for a moment, her beauty aside, I did notice throughout the day that I didn’t see many POC’s here so I was a bit happy to see her. “Hello ladies, how are you doing today?” she asked while looking back &amp; forth between the 2 of us. Star &amp; I just blink at each other in confusion before I look back at the girl &amp; respond. “We’re doing good, how are you doing?” I ask her with my best smile. She returned my smile &amp; sent a chill down my spine. She is certainly one of the most beautiful women I’ve seen here in Korea, aside from Star. “Much better now that I get to talk to you two. My name is Aria. May I ask your names??” I commit her name to memory immediately, for future reference because I’m hoping this won’t be our last encounter. “I’m Kenya &amp; this is my friend Star.” I say as I reach to shake her hand. Star smiles &amp; gives her a small bow. I internally gush a little at Star being a shy bean. I noticed when I said the word friend, the slight blush to her cheeks &amp; the lift at the corners of her mouth. I smile again &amp; refocus on the other beautiful girl in front of me. “So I was just wondering what two gorgeous ladies like you are doing sitting here alone. I wanted to ask you to join us at our table the moment you walked in but I missed the chance.” Aria said to us. I peered over her shoulder &amp; it was obvious which table she came from, seeing that all of them were looking over in our direction as well. I giggle at the mixer of expressions they were all wearing. One guy was violently shoving another one while whispering something with hostility that I could see from here which made me giggle a bit harder. “I’m trying to prove a point here that women aren't mythical creatures and bullshit pickup lines get you no vag. Help me out?” Aria said. Star just looked lost, the poor bean but I was down to play. I smiled &amp; gave her a not so obvious nod. Aria smiled back &amp; leaned in closer toward me. “Are they looking?” she asked me. I glance over &amp; see all 4 of them on the edges of their seats. I lean closer to her &amp; smile again at her. “They sure are.” I say just above a whisper. Aria reaches up &amp; pushes one of my locs behind my ear &amp; I try to give a cute, shy expression. “Yah!” I hear from the table but I don’t look to see who it was. This Aria girl is mad cute &amp; smooth, if I didn’t watch myself I could easily get lost in her charm. Star turns to look at the guys behind her &amp; visibly stiffens up. It wouldn’t have been so noticeable had I not been with her all day. She had been happy &amp; relaxed but now it looks like she’s worried about something. I was about to ask when one of the guys from the table walked right up to our table &amp; asked if he could sit down too. I’m pretty sure I dropped my jaw on the table for a moment because this man was absolutely gorgeous &amp; I wondered why I hadn’t noticed already when he was sitting on the other side of the room. I may have been too immersed in Aria’s face to really pay attention. “Hello, I’m Baekho.” he says &amp; smiles at me. I almost scoff at him. “Yo, you are handsome.” The words slide right out of my mouth before I could catch them &amp; I felt the heat rush to my face. “I said that out loud, didn't I?” I say to Star. She nods her head. Aria nearly topples over in laughter &amp; Baekho blushes slightly &amp; laughs too. He looked irritated before but it seems my slip of the tongue had dispersed his irritation. “Ummmm I think we should order now.” Star pushes the button on the corner of the table. Still looking rather uncomfortable &amp; I’m still curious as to what's going on with that. “Hey, can I get your number?” Aria says after she’s done laughing effectively pulling me from my thoughts again. I shoot her another smile &amp; nod. I began rummaging through my purse for the paper Star wrote my phone number on. “Oop, thank you KBae!” I hear Aria say &amp; I look up. “This is Kenya’s direct contact information.” Star says to her. Aria &amp; I both have astonished expressions on our faces. “I have business cards!?” I ask Star. She laughs &amp; Aria examines the card…”OOoooo This REAL nice!” She says enthusiastically. “KBae can I have your card too!” Aria says &amp; leans into Star, probably a little too close when Baekho expertly grabbed Aria by the wrist &amp; coaxed her out of the seat. “ Okay, that’s enough on that. Aria why don’t we give them space to eat their food. Look at that, the server is here. We’ll be going now, it was nice meeting you ladies.” Baekho says while taking a sad Aria away as she yelled over his shoulder that she would text me later. I laughed at the whole exchange. I was so distracted by their nonsense that I pretty much missed the entire order that Star placed for the both of us so when the server walked away, I was confused &amp; slightly panicked because I didn’t know how to call her back. I looked at Star who was now trying to suppress a laugh I’m sure was brought on by my expression. “Don’t worry I ordered enough for both of us.” She said &amp; I instantly relaxed. We looked at each other &amp; laughed together. I need to get it together clearly. We chatted for a few more minutes when my eyes wandered back over to Aria’s table. They were clearly done eating &amp; just enjoying each other’s company. Aria was laughing, probably too hard &amp; so were 2 of the other guys. The one that came over to our table after her, was sitting next to her, face red as chili pepper paste. It made me wonder what happened. When I looked at the last person at the table, I was surprised because instantly we made eye contact. I looked away immediately, absolutely internally dying because he might have noticed I was staring at them this whole time. I look over at Star who is mulling over something she saw on her phone &amp; clearly not paying any attention to my silent panic attack. “Hey, I’m gonna go to the bathroom before the food comes, okay?” I say to Star &amp; she responds with a nod without looking up from her phone. I stand &amp; for some unknown reason, my eyes look in their direction again to find him still watching me only now with a smirk on his face. I feel my cheeks heat up &amp; I haul ass for the bathroom. </p><p>Once safely inside, I stand over the sink &amp; look at my reflection in the mirror. I look completely frazzled. In an effort to calm down I wash my hands &amp; wet a paper towel with cold water to put on the back of my neck. As I’m patting my neck I think back to the man’s expression &amp; this time I smile. Now that I think about it, he was really attractive. Had I not been so embarrassed at getting caught being a creeper, I may have noticed sooner. Now, slightly frustrated with my own shenanigans for missing out, I try to compose myself so I can return to Star. I haven’t been in the bathroom long but because they were done eating anyway, they would likely be gone by now. With this thought, I gather myself &amp; exit the bathroom. On my way out, my purse strap catches on the door &amp; knocks me off my balance. I stumble, trying to right myself when I then trip over the decorative rug in the hallway &amp; collide headfirst into someone. A large hand catches me by the elbow while an even larger arm wraps around me and holds me upright when my legs have completely failed to do so.<br/>
“ I am so sorry, God clearly hates me! Are you okay?” I say to the person who now has red lipstick smeared into their white shirt. The scent coming off of them immediately caught my attention. “This stain is so bad, I can’t believe this!” Internally cursing myself, I look up to meet their eyes &amp; I nearly cry when I recognize this handsome face. “It’s okay about the shirt, I can always just take it off.” He says with a huge smile on his face. My mental screaming is cut off immediately as I take in this situation. First of all, he was so tall. When he was sitting at the table I hadn’t noticed his height but now that we’re up close &amp; personal, I can guess that he’s got at least a foot over me. Second, this man smells so damn good. His smile is so gorgeous &amp; I really like his face enough to just stay in his arms like this forever. Thir- wait….. “WHY AM I STILL IN HIS ARMS!?” Again, internally cursing myself as I step back from him &amp; try to get my life together. He smiles at me &amp; steps closer. My immediate response is to take another step back which in turn, puts me against the wall.  He bends over so that he’s just above eye level with me &amp; I lose all control over my body &amp; just freeze in his stare. “What’s your name?” He asks me, still smiling. “Kenya Jaye,” I say for some reason unbeknownst to me. He licks his lips &amp; puts his hand on the wall right over my head. “I’m Mingyu &amp; I’m gonna take a chance &amp; be very direct with you. I think you're really cute &amp; I’d like to take you out sometime if that’s okay with you, Kenya.” He said &amp; waited for my response. I had none other than my face &amp; ears heating up so much I just knew he could see it. Something in my facial expression made him chuckle a bit. “Can I see your phone please?” He asked me ever so politely &amp; of course, my hand reached into my pocket to produce my cell phone for him because I have no willpower when it comes to highly attractive Korean men who smell incredible, stare into the depths of my soul through pretty eyes paired with a gorgeous smile. He took my phone &amp; pressed the screen a few times before handing it back to me. “I sent myself a text so now you have my number &amp; I have yours. I’m gonna text you later &amp; I really hope I get a response… You enjoy the rest of your evening, Kenya,” he says to me. Then with a wink, he steps back &amp; turns to walk away from me. After what was probably an eternity, I pulled air into my lungs &amp; damn near collapse at what just happened. “Was I breathing at all? I just gave this man my phone now he has my number. What if he’s a serial killer? What is wrong wit- STAR!” I start power walking back to my table just in time to see the server walking away. The table was full of food &amp; Star looked at me with so much excitement. I sit down at the table across from her as she organizes the plates. “I took way too long, I’m so sorry.” Star looks up at me, puzzled by my statement. “No… it hasn’t even been 10 minutes. Don’t worry,” she says with a smile &amp; I feel like my jaw hit the table. I look back over at that table where they were all sitting &amp; now it’s empty. My thoughts are all over the place but instead of saying anything I just eat dinner with Star &amp; question my own sanity, silently</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Abstract Art</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <span>After dinner, Star &amp; I headed back to the car. On our way home, I recounted to her my encounter with the Mingyu guy. For the most part, she kept a straight face but by the time I finished my story, she was practically crying from laughing so hard. “Wooow…” I said to her as we exited the car &amp; headed for the elevator. “This just can’t be that funny to you!” I stared at my friend in disbelief. She shook her head &amp; waved one hand at me while trying to suppress her laugh. “I’m sorry!” She replied, still trying to resist the urge, “So what are you going to do now? Should I have the number blocked?” Star asked with her round eyes wide &amp; blinking in concern. I shake my head. “No, it’s not that serious, although I did make a fool of myself. He did keep me from falling on my face &amp; possibly cracking my head open on my second day in Korea so let's count that as a win.” We get to my front door &amp; Star laughs at me again. “This is like a drama.” She says through her giggles. Now I’m blinking as I think about her words as I struggle to open the door. We walk inside &amp; I drop my bags on the floor &amp; look her directly in the eyes. My facial expression must have startled her a little because she looked scared for a moment. “STAR, DID HE KDRAMA ME? DID I REALLY GET KDRAMAED ON MY 2ND DAY IN KOREA?” I practically yell at her but before I could even finish my sentences, Star was already on the ground in hysterics. After another minute of laughter, Star was able to compose herself &amp; asked me again what I wanted to do about it. I thought about it again &amp; could not really give her an answer because I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. “I’ll be honest, I’m not sure yet. I’ve been here for barely 2 days &amp; I don’t even know my own address yet. I start a new job &amp; I have no idea what the schedule will be like either. So to me, Mingyu dude is the least of my worries.”  She nodded her head as she listened to my words. She smiled &amp; reminded me to be careful &amp; keep her in the loop. I smiled back at my new friend. I couldn’t imagine how different these 2 days would have been without her here. </span>
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  <span>After putting away the things we’d bought on our mini shopping trip, we’d sat on the couch for another 40 minutes or so before the tiredness became too apparent &amp; we headed to the separate rooms. After showering &amp; dressing for bed, I climbed into my huge bed for the first time. I settled myself right in the middle &amp; surrounded myself with all the pillows. I imagine how great a rest I was going to get &amp; eagerly close my eyes, inviting sleep to take me. I was just beginning to feel the heaviness of sleep tugging at me when I heard my phone chime loudly. I’d forgotten to turn the volume down before laying down because I had barely used either phone since Star had given them to me. I drag myself from the center of the bed &amp; reach for the phones. Unsure of which one it was that chimed, I check them both. There was a text notification on the silver phone &amp; I wondered if Star needed anything before she went to sleep. I opened the phone to check the message &amp; was shocked right out of my sleepy when I read it. It was Mingyu.  I debated if I should respond but after actually reading the message I laughed so I decided to go ahead &amp; text him back.</span>
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  <span>M: Are you into abstract art? I think I'm going to frame this shirt?</span>
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  <span>K: LOL! Okay, I'll bite...</span>
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  <span>M: HAHA! I'm sorry, that was bad. Please forgive me.</span>
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  <span>M: Did you make it back to where you're staying safely?</span>
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  <span>K: You're good lol, Yes, I made it home safely. Thank you for asking.</span>
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  <span>M: Home..? You live here in Korea?</span>
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  <span>This question made me hesitate a little &amp; I realized I had been sitting there grinning like a fool while texting this man. I composed myself &amp;  thought about his question again. I guess it’s a fair question to ask so I decided to be honest. It’s not like I remembered my own address anyway, so no reason to worry about me telling him where I live.</span>
</p><p>K: Yes, I only recently moved here.</p><p>M: Daebak! That's so cool. If I'm being honest, this makes me happy.</p><p>K: LOL! Why is that?</p><p>M: It's because I may get a chance to see you again.. Even if it's just by chance.</p><p>K: Oh yeah? You wanna see me again, even though you saw me trip on air &amp; I painted your shirt with my lips?</p><p>M: The lip painting was my favorite part, so of course.</p><p>
  <span> The familiar feeling of my cheeks heating up, came over me as I fought the urge to laugh out loud. I was enjoying our conversation probably a little too much… “He’s a player.” I say to myself out loud. That’s the only logical conclusion my brain could come to. Thinking back to his tall stature, silky hair that playfully fell into his face, his lightly melanated skin &amp; the way his clothes fit his obviously muscular body… “This man is probably going to ruin my life,” I say just over a whisper. I wonder if it’s a good idea to entertain this. I just climbed out of the hole of chaotic bull my last relationship put me in; maybe romance shouldn’t be in the books for me right now… However, I’m already here on the other side of the world &amp; I’m starting over completely. This could easily be just as much of a good thing as it could be bad… Most likely bad. As I sit here in the dark I realize it’s probably useless trying to convince myself of either way so I decided to just go with the flow &amp; let, whatever happens, happen. Maybe it won’t be too late to bow out when/if things start to go left. I nod my head with conviction &amp; continue texting him.</span>
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  <span>K: lmao! Welp, I guess I can't argue with that.</span>
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  <span>M: My schedule is really tight sometimes though, so what do you say we play it by ear?</span>
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  <span>K: That's actually kind of perfect. I have no clue what my schedule will be like just yet, I start my new position tomorrow.</span>
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  <span>M: Oh really!? Congratulations. I won't keep you up then. I'll keep you in touch.</span>
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  <span>K: Sounds great😊. TTYL. GoodNight Mingyu...</span>
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  <span>M: Goodnight Ms. Jaye ❤</span>
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  <span>I reach over and plug the phone up then reposition myself back in the center of the bed. I actually feel good about the short conversation we had &amp; I soon fall asleep with a smile on my face. </span>
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  <span>The next morning, my alarm went off &amp; I was super groggy. Though I enjoyed my conversation with Mingyu, I was definitely awake way too late. I barely drag myself to the shower to begin getting ready. I had no idea what the day was going to be like but I was excited to start. This has been my dream job for so long &amp; to know I finally achieved it, makes me so happy. After my shower, I step out of the bathroom to find a completely dressed &amp; ready Star in my closet. She hands me an outfit she picked out &amp; suggests a pair of heels for me to put on. I look at her &amp; laugh because even though this past weekend has been so fun, I can tell she has learned a thing or 2 about me. For example, my indecisiveness about my clothes may delay me getting dressed for over an hour. This was her way of saying we don’t have time for my shenanigans. The next 30 minutes moved in a blur as I had gotten dressed, did some basic makeup &amp; was rushed out of the door by my lovely &amp; not so gentle assistant. We bickered as she forced me to sit in the backseat of the car. Being chauffeured was not something I was used to but Star was going to make me get over it real quick. </span>
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  <span>We arrived at the company within 10 minutes or so &amp; upon arrival I was immediately thrown into my schedule. I was given a tour of the company &amp; introduced to several people whom I would be working with. Including a man who was a bit too forward in his greeting to me. He hovered around me quite a bit &amp; to some degree, it gave me the creeps. I made a mental note to keep my distance from him.</span>
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  <span> After so many probably not so great, Korean introductions by yours truly, Star escorted me to my office where I was finally able to sit down. I’d only been here for a few hours but my feet were already killing me. Star gave me a worried expression &amp; I assured her that I was fine, just a little tired. She gave me a tablet with some information I needed to read &amp; sat down in front of me.</span>
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  <span>“I’ve ordered lunch for you already &amp; it will be brought up soon. I also packed a pair of more comfortable shoes for you to change into as well, they’re in the bag hanging on the hook behind your desk. You are free for the next hour and a half so feel free to relax while I take care of a few things here. If you need anything, just call me. I will be back before your break is over though so don’t miss me too much.” Star says with a half-smile on her face. I laugh &amp; shoo her from the office while assuring her that I’m fine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I sit back at my desk &amp; push my heels off. Just as I start to zone out, I hear my phone chime. It’s a text from Mingyu. I immediately sit up &amp; check my phone with a smile on my face.  </span>
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  <span>M: I hope you are enjoying your first day at work...</span>
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  <span>K: I am, it's been a really busy day but I am liking things so far.</span>
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  <span>M: That's good I'm happy to hear that.</span>
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  <span>M: I just wanted you to know you were on my mind.  😊😊</span>
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  <span>K: That's so sweet, Thank you  ❤ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>M: I gotta go now, Enjoy the rest of your day. Maybe call me this evening?🤔🤔</span>
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  <span>K: hmmm, We'll see 😎😂</span>
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  <span>The warm feeling in my stomach lowkey made me uneasy but I’m really glad I made the decision to come here. Things really seem to be looking up from here. The rest of the day is a breeze.</span>
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